Panna Cotta is such a versatile dessert, and really quite easy to make too.
This creamy Orange Spiced Panna Cotta won’t disappoint, with flavours of cinnamon, spice and everything nice ;)
I might have been born in the wrong hemisphere…
Don’t get me wrong, I love our sunny SA Decembers, but I really prefer a ‘traditional’ cold Christmas.
I love the smell of cinnamon and pine cones and hot cups of mulled wine or cocoa. That to me encapsulates the ‘feel’ of Christmas.
I was so happy to experience a cool, rainy Christmas Day here in Jozi, which matched our menu to a T.
Seb {my eldest, 5yrs} decided that we should cook up a huge feast for the four of us, complete with roast chicken, pork, salads, dessert and bowls of chocolates everywhere {!!}.
{Everything but the chocolates were low carb – you really can do a Low Carb Christmas!}
These Orange Spiced Panna Cotta pots are like little bowls of Christmas.
Creamy vanilla panna cotta, infused with orange, cinnamon, star aniseed and a kick of brandy.
Servings: 4
Time: 30 minutes + setting time
Difficulty: easy
You will need:
1 cup fresh cream
1.5 cups double cream Greek-style plain yoghurt
1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped + pod
2 tbsp. xylitol
1 cinnamon quill
1 star aniseed
2 capfuls brandy
1 tbsp. orange zest + 1 small piece of peel
1 sachet / 10 g powdered gelatin, dissolved in a tbsp. of cold water
Heat the cream and yoghurt in a saucepan over a very low heat.
Whisk it to ensure the cream and yoghurt is smooth.
Add the vanilla seeds and xylitol. Whisk until mixed well.
Add the vanilla pod, orange zest, brandy, cinnamon and star aniseed and allow it to infuse slowly over low heat – around 15-20 minutes. Don’t let it boil. Stir / whisk continuously.
When the flavours are all infused nicely, remove the pod, peel and whole spices.
Add the gelatin and let it dissolve completely.
Pour into little serving bowls or cups and let it cool a bit before placing them in the fridge to set.
Perfect really for anytime of year and you can play around with different flavour combinations.
Seeing as it’s almost a new year, have you decided to change things up a bit? What are your resolutions?
If you want to work smarter and be more efficient at home, try meal planning and batch cooking – it really works like a charm to save you heaps of time and effort!
